Book Review: Blood & Bone: An Anthology of Body Horror by Women and Non-Binary Writers – A.R. Ward (Editor)

On Oct 9, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Horror, Indie, ReviewLeave a comment

Hello!

Today I’m reviewing Blood & Bone: An Anthology of Body Horror by Women & Non-Binary Writers, which is a perfect read for the spooky season.

Book Summary:

Since the earliest creation myths, womens’ bodies have been a site of conflict, venerated and feared in equal measure. In this collection, talented female and non-binary writers let rip with twenty-two powerful, visceral body horror stories that explore, celebrate and dissect (sometimes literally) femininity and the female experience. The stories traverse difficult and sometimes controversial ground, digging into subjects like eating disorders, the beauty industry, pregnancy, infertility, body dysmorphia, domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse–all done with passion, humour, and creativity.

Approach with an open mind and a strong stomach.

*****

Contributors:
A.J. Van Belle, Alice Austin, April Yates, Caitlin Marceau, Cecilia Kennedy, Emma Kathryn, Evelyn Freeling, Faye Snowden, Kristin Cleaveland, Lindsay King-Miller, Michelle Mellon, Nico Bell, Nicola Kapron, Nicole M. Wolverton, Petina Strohmer, Sally Hughes, Saoirse Ní Chiaragáin, Varian Ross, Vashelle Nino, Victoria Nations, Vivian Kasley

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Book Review: The Living Waters (Weirdwater Confluence #1) – Dan Fitzgerald

On Oct 5, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Indie, Review2 Comments

Hello!

Today I am delighted to be sharing my review of The Living Waters by Dan Fitzgerald, the first book in the Weirdwater Confluence Duology which is out from Shadow Spark Publishing on the 15th October. I loved the Maer Cycle, and was super excited for this one and oh my goodness I am in love with this book and it’s characters. This is possibly the longest review I’ve written because The Living Waters gave me so many thoughts and feelings, and even then I don’t feel as though I’ve even scraped the surface.

Disclaimer – I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

When two painted-faced nobles take a guided raft trip on a muddy river, they expect to rough it for a few weeks before returning to their life of sheltered ease. But when mysterious swirls start appearing in the water, even their seasoned guides get rattled.

The mystery of the swirls lures them on to seek the mythical wetlands known as the Living Waters. They discover a world beyond their imagining, but stranger still are the worlds they find inside their own minds as they are drawn deep into the troubles of this hidden place.

The Living Waters is a sword-free fantasy novel featuring an ethereal love story, meditation magic, and an ancient book with cryptic marginalia.

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Blog Tour (Book Review): The Ancient Ones (The Ancient Ones #1) – Cassandra L. Thompson

On Sep 30, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Indie, Review1 Comment

Hello!

Today is my stop on the blog tour for ‘The Ancient Ones’ by Cassandra L. Thompson organised by Storytellers on Tour, this is the first book in The Ancient Gods trilogy and the second book in the series ‘Liminality’ is due for release on the 31st October!

I hope that you will check out the book and the author, and enjoy the rest of the tour with the schedule in the banner below or (HERE).

Disclaimer – I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

Some things are not meant to die…

When David stumbles upon a tragic young woman in a sordid Limehouse pub, he has no idea she’d recognize him as the last vampyre alive, nor that she’d be the one to pull out his story. Yet as he recalls his life from the sweltering vineyards of Ancient Rome to the cold horrors of Medieval Romania – as well as his tumultuous past with the mad and mysterious Lucius – he realizes she is much more than what she seems.

Gothic horror and mythological fantasy blend seamlessly together in this thrilling adventure, breathing new life into vampire lore as it reveals its true origins. The Ancient Ones is a tale of myth, mayhem, and magic … with a dash of romance that bites.

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Blog Tour (Book Review): Tarō – Blue Spruell, Miya Outlaw (Illustrator)

On Sep 25, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Historical, Indie, ReviewLeave a comment

Hello!
A belated review for Tarō by Blue Spruell as part of the Loves Book Tour. I’ve always been interested in anything to do with Japan, and I love their folktales so I leapt at the chance to read this one.

Disclaimer – I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

Lost in the mists of Mount Fuji . . . but no one can escape destiny. . . .
Orphaned by a rival warlord and bewitched by a ghost, young Tarō must reclaim his birthright and find his destiny as the legendary boy samurai and hero of Japan.

Accompanied by Tanuki, his shape-shifting badger sidekick, Tarō embarks on a quest of self-discovery and revenge, falls for Kamehime, the teenage samurai daughter of a powerful warlord, and ultimately becomes embroiled in the political struggle for the imperial throne. Along the way, Tarō and his allies face fearsome yōkai, the ghosts, goblins, and ghouls of Japanese folklore.

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Cover Reveal: The Living Waters (The Weirdwater Confluence #1) – Dan Fitzgerald

On Sep 15, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Cover Reveal, Fantasy, IndieLeave a comment

Hello!

Today I am delighted to be part of the Storytellers on Tour Cover Reveal for The Living Waters by Dan Fitzgerald which is due for release from Shadow Spark Publishing on the 15th October. I have been looking forward to this book ever since it was first announced, and it’s so close now and I can’t wait to read this sword-free fantasy… and the cover is simply stunning, but don’t take my word for it, check it out below!

Book Summary:

The Living Waters is a sword-free fantasy novel featuring an ethereal love story, meditation magic, and an ancient book with cryptic marginalia.

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Comics Wednesday: Barbaric #1 – Michael Moreci (Writer), Nathan Gooden (Illustrator)

On Sep 8, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Comic Wednesdays, Fantasy, Indie, Review1 Comment

Hello!

Welcome to another new – well rather, a revamped feature on the blog – Comics Wednesdays. To kick this feature off, I’m taking a look at Barbaric #1. This is an indie comic from Vault Comics, and I took one look at the cover and knew that I needed to read it.

Owen the Barbarian has been cursed to do good with what remains of his life. His bloodthirsty weapon, Axe, has become his moral compass with a drinking problem. Together they wander the realm, foredoomed to help any who seek assistance. But there is one thing Owen hates more than a life with rules: Witches.

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Blog Tour (Book Review): Jati’s Wager (Wind Tide #2) – Jonathan Nevair

On Aug 31, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Indie, Review, Sci-Fi3 Comments

Hello!

Today is my stop on the blog tour for ‘Jati’s Wager’ by Jonathan Nevair organised by Storytellers on Tour. This is the second book in the Wind Tide series, and you can find my review of the first book ‘Goodbye to the Sun’ here. It was a delight to return to this series.

I hope that you will check out the book and the author, and enjoy the rest of the tour with the schedule in the banner below or (HERE).

Disclaimer – I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

A space opera heist brimming with action, twists, and turns that doubles as a story of personal growth, mentorship, and sacrifice.

Ailo is a streetwise teen surviving alone on the remote moonbase, Tarkassi 9. She wants nothing more than to flee into the wider world of the Arm. When her chance arrives, she makes it no farther than the first ship out of the system. That’s where Jati, the Patent War veteran and general fighting the Monopolies, gives her a second chance. It’s an unlikely partnership, but Ailo’s rogue status is just what Jati’s People’s Army needs to drive the final spike of victory into a weakening Garissian Council.

A team of experts assembles and hope rests on Ailo’s skill, stealth, and tenacity to pull off the impossible. It’s a wild gambit, and a moral code may need to be bent, or broken, to achieve success. When an internal shadow rises, casting doubt on their plans, Ailo and Jati are forced to weigh the cost of revenge against honor and justice.

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Book Blitz (Book Review): Game of Gnomes: The Necrognomicon – M.J. Northwood

On Aug 20, 2021Aug 20, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Indie, Review, Self-PublishedLeave a comment

Hello!

Today I’m delighted to be part of the book blitz for ‘Game of Gnomes: The Necrognomicon’ by M.J. Northwood organised by Storytellers on Tour. This is the first book in the Game of Gnomes series, and the second book ‘A Gnome Hope’ is out now, and you can find out more at the bottom of the post. There is also a chance to win a copy of the book for yourself (UK Only).

Disclaimer – I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

Every hurdle in a gnome’s life is just a little bit bigger. After years apart, the three gnomes Gassy, Borty, and Turdlet aim to scale the tallest of challenges a thief can face: The Crimicompetition.

Fighting for the clout against MagInc—a corporation of unimaginable influence—the gnomes are about to discover how small honour amongst thieves can get.

And so begins the Game of Gnomes

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Book Review: The Echoed Realm (The Chaos Cycle Duology #2) – A.J. Vrana

On Aug 10, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, IFA Summer Challenge 2021, Indie, ReviewLeave a comment

Hello!

Today I am delighted to be reviewing The Echoed Realm, the second book in The Chaos Cycle Duology by A.J. Vrana which is out in the world TODAY. The first book in the series – The Hollow Gods – was one of the first books I ever requested on netgalley (you can find the review HERE), and it blew me away so I leapt at the chance to read and review an arc of The Echoed Realm and Dreamwalker I loved this book!

Parliament House Press is also releasing special hardback editions of both books on October 26th of this year, and the pre-order campaign is up and as pre-order incentives all hardbacks are signed and come with a custom-made bookplate and a postcard of new character art. (You can check these out below – as well as the stunning cover for the book – the cover for The Hollow Gods is still to be revealed!

You can pre-order HERE

*****

Disclaimer – I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

Miya’s world ended in Black Hollow.

It’s been three years since the Dreamwalker upended her life and left her with a heavy burden. A fledgling to the ethereal realm, Miya stumbles into the nightmares of those haunted by spectres. Little does she know, one of them is coming for her, clutching a dark secret abreast.

Kai has found a new purpose with his companion, but the price is his freedom. Bound and beholden to Miya, he struggles to adjust to his new role as her vanguard.

Meanwhile, Mason discovers he may be a pawn trapped in a web of schemes. Was his time in Black Hollow an accident, or was it only the beginning of some greater machination?

As Black Hollow’s bloody stain spreads beyond its wooded borders, Miya fights to evade a past she barely understands. The Dreamwalker’s legacy is a vise grip, and it isn’t letting go. Primordial horrors draw near, fables come alive, and long-buried histories rise from the grave, ready to hunt.

Sharpen your claws and bloody your teeth. There’s fear to be sown.

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Blog Tour (Book Review): Paladin Unbound – Jeffrey Speight

On Jun 28, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, IFA Summer Challenge 2021, Indie, Review2 Comments

Hello!

Today is my stop on the blog tour for ‘Paladin Unbound’ by Jeffrey Speight organised by Storytellers on Tour.

I hope that you will check out the book and the author, and enjoy the rest of the tour with the schedule in the banner below or (HERE).

*Disclaimer: ‘I was given a copy this book in exchange for an honest review, all views are my own.’*

Book Summary:

The last of a dying breed, a holy warrior must rise up against a growing darkness in Evelium.

The most unlikely of heroes, a lowly itinerant mercenary, Umhra the Peacebreaker is shunned by society for his mongrel half-Orc blood. Desperate to find work for himself and his band of fighters, Umhra agrees to help solve a rash of mysterious disappearances, but uncovers a larger, more insidious plot to overthrow the natural order of Evelium in the process.

As Umhra journeys into the depths of Telsidor’s Keep to search for the missing, he confronts an ancient evil and, after suffering a great loss, turns to the god he disavowed for help.

Compelled to save the kingdom he loves, can he defeat the enemy while protecting his true identity, or must he risk everything?

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